Global decline in measles cases

The number of measles cases around the world has been cut by nearly half over the last six years, according to recent reports.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) today announced that global deaths due to measles have fallen by 48 per cent, from 871,000 in 1999 to around 454,000 in 2004.

This was attributed largely to major national immunisation initiatives and better routine childhood vaccinations.

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"This is an outstanding public health success story," said Dr LEE Jong-wook, WHO director-general. "If progress continues at this rate, the global goal to cut measles deaths by half will have been achieved on time."

The WHO describes measles as "one of the most contagious diseases known". It is one of the biggest killers of children in the developing world and can also cause lifelong disabilities including blindness and brain damage.

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A safe vaccine for the disease has been available since the 1960s, with all children in the UK immunised when young with the MMR vaccine.

However, young children in developing countries are still not receiving the vaccine due to "weak immunisation systems".

"Measles remains a major killer of children in the developing world, but it doesn't have to be," UNICEF executive director Ann Veneman said.

"Just two doses of an inexpensive, safe, and available measles vaccine can prevent most, if not all, measles deaths."

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